senior scholars

The Spanish and, less directly, European, university system can appear to be very different from American higher education and is characterized by its own distinct assumptions, values, trajectories, and possibilities in many aspects of academia. European educational systems are currently in the middle of a period of dramatic change under the auspices of the Bologna Process, with efforts to standardize practices and achieve consensus on outcomes and evaluation practices. In any case, lecturers should take this opportunity to analyze their teaching style and compare it to that of colleagues here in Spain, along with the ideas they seek to promulgate and the approach(es) to research and practice that they value and encourage. 

Specific course titles may take well over a year to be approved and most pairings with Fulbright lecturers cannot be made far enough in advance to “import” courses with different titles. However, there is a great deal of freedom when it comes to modifying course material. Most visiting professors end up teaching a good deal less material than what they have ambitiously outlined for their assignment in Spain; the full list is more of a goal or the ideal, and is understood as such by faculty and students alike. Be prepared to be flexible; you may have to make substantive changes to your courses and may even be asked to speak on topics that are not necessarily your area of expertise. In the words of one lecturer: “I’m lecturing on such a small percentage of what I proposed. Lecturing is more like an added bonus or in support of the main class. Find other professors, events, and classes that you can bring value to when you lecture.”

Plan to bring the books on the reading list you have accorded with your contact person and leave them with the department when you are done. Some lecturers write to academic presses for books, or obtain books from the MLA or the Library of Congress. 

Find out early about department expectations for the semester’s scheduling. The abundance of local, university, and national holidays as well as student recesses can be a bit of a puzzle. Also be sure to ask about department policies concerning class attendance, examinations, grades, and if they use a platform such as BlackBoard or Moodle. Departments do not usually provide actual class lists, but rather hand you a “registration” slip (ficha) for each student. If you are going to present a detailed syllabus to your students, it is best to do so at the first class meeting. Also, be prepared to face different ideas of timing. In general, emails are not answered within a day or two as in the U.S., which means that any initiative must be set in motion early. Collaborations tend to take significantly longer to develop than in the U.S.

The expectation that students will complete assigned reading before class is stronger in the United States than in Spain — the latter are more likely to come to class “unprepared.” That said, in both countries students’ habits vary from university to university and class to class, and graduate students are more likely to read before class than undergraduates. Colleagues may be able to provide guidance on their particular students’ preparation habits. Furthermore, over time you may be able to establish a norm of preparation in your classes, although changing students’ expectations and habits can be difficult.

Teaching and social attire tends to be informal. Aside from your first day (first impressions do matter) and formal presentations, you will likely wear dressier apparel infrequently and build a casual wardrobe, though you should bring something “dressy” for special occasions. However, a senior scholar notes that in the Universidad de Valencia law faculty, “teaching attire can be more formal – many male professors wear suits, others wear sport coats, while others teach in a shirt and pants. One sees the same range among women professors. This is pretty similar to the range in U.S. law schools. But it may differ from other fields (in Spain and the U.S.).” Feel  free to ask your main contact at your host institution  what professors’ apparel tends to be.